If, like many in professional services industries, the majority of your work comes from repeat clients and referrals, your story is the most important business development tool you have. It's also the only thing that can't be stolen.

You and your marketing team can craft the most engaging stories ever heard by man, but if they don’t do something to further your cause, to meet your goals and objectives, then you have a hobby … not business storytelling.

My son's progression from mowing our neighbor's yard to running his own lawn mowing business looks a lot like the birth and growth of an architecture firm. His experiences and the lessons he's learned could teach many architects and business owners a thing or two.

How one firm began after a partner split in the shadows of a recession with one active project, a list of past clients and nothing in the pipeline. By implementing a creative digital marketing strategy, they built their 3‐person firm from scratch to success in 4 years.

I wish I had a dollar for every time an architect told me: “I just want to be an architect, not a writer.” It usually comes on the heals of a discussion about blog posts and marketing. It’s also why I developed a system of interviews to get beyond that objection.

Many of the firms I work with came to me because, among other things, they struggled with implementing and finding legitimate success with Social Media Marketing. Working with these firms is where I developed my prescription to help architects succeed using Social Media Marketing.

A while back, a marketing agency approached me and asked if I could help them understand how their clients, mainly manufacturers of architectural products, could be more effective marketing to architects. I said, “you have to start by putting yourselves in the architects’ shoes and end with being their best, go-to resource."

When Carolee Tremain told me she wasn’t comfortable “beating her chest,” I said: “Good!” I told her the same thing I tell many of my clients: If you want your stories to resonate with your audience, you can't be the hero of your own story!

Think about the last time you were at a party and you were trapped in the “conversation” with that person that spent the entire time talking about themselves. Your brain stops listening and starts thinking about how you’re going to move on to the next situation. Do the stories you tell do the same thing to your Ideal Customer?

Why do you do what you do and what makes your business matter to your customers will help you understand what differentiates your business from whoever you think your competitors are. Your job then, is to use brand storytelling to creatively leverage those things.

How do I prove the ROI to my Boss? How do we get more Twitter Followers? Why don’t we get any engagement on our Facebook Page? Are you asking the right questions about Social Media Marketing? Do the Executives at your company understand how Social Media Marketing should be integrated into your overall Marketing mix and assimilated into your business culture?

Can businesses, can YOUR business use Storytelling? No matter what business you're in the most important thing for you to remember is that everyone has a story. The question is who’s telling your story and how are they telling it?

Your favorite meals are memorable; they’re an experience; there’s a process to them. That’s what you need to create with your Social Media Marketing. Every platform you use, every article you write, every photograph you take, every post you make must be part of a process that contributes to a memorable experience.

Your Grandma may not understand what the World Wide Web is but she could probably teach you a thing or two about Social Media Marketing. She sure wouldn't ever stand on the street corner and scream to every passerby about the latest meatloaf recipe she tried.

You need to share all of your knowledge and expertise. You need to tell the world everything you know about what you do. And you need to give it away for free. That’s probably not advice you’re looking for. But what if I told you that giving it all away was the best way to succeed with Social Media Marketing? What if giving it all away was the best way to find your Ideal Client?

A friend of mine and I have been chatting lately about the best Social Media Marketing books. Nikko has really impressed me. It seems like every time I mention a book he’s bought it and read it almost before I’ve even completed my thought. He’s consuming these things faster than I can come up with a title and author so I figured I would compile a list of the best of what I’ve read, suggested and given away over the last year.

Do you ever wonder if Architects can really get work using Social Media? Can using Social Media actually bring more business through the door? Can YOU get business with Social Media Marketing? The short answer is “Yes.” Here's an example of a firm that uses Social Media and sees results.